Grand Canyon Rafting

Hi All,
I hope this note finds everyone doing well.
I made it thru the canyon in one piece.
The trip was great. It was a wonderful experience. I would do it again tomorrow if I could.
The trip was a specialized trip. It was an invitation only workshop for photographers put on by the Pulitzer Prize winner from 1971 Jack Dykinga. What a super nice guy. This means it was not like a lot of trips that go down the river. The guests wanted to chase the good light so there was a lot of getting up early to make breakfast. Once at 3:30 am and twice at 4:00 am. There was also a few thousand dollars of camera equipment that needed to be unloaded and loaded a few times a day. Then there was the hiking with people who had a ton of equipment on their backs, usually very little experience hiking, and each having their own agenda. Trying to keep track of inexperienced hikers on somewhat dangerous trails was a treat sometimes. Almost like babysitting at times. Then at the end of the day was unloading the boats of all equipment, setting up the kitchen and then cooking and cleaning up dinner. Not to mention all the rafting. Lots of work and a lot of fun.

Jack is the one in the big hat standing up. This is shortly after leaving Lee's Ferry the first day. The bridge is called Navajo Bridge.



Cool canyon walls at the start of trip.




This is Upper North Canyon. This was the first photo stop.



Here are a few of the photographers.



This is Vasey's Paradise. There are some plants growing in this area that grow only a few place in the southwest.



These are the Granaries near Little Nankoweap Canyon. The Ancestral Puebloans would store their excess grain there.



If you look really close you can see our boats in the little cove on the river.





I was told this is one of the most seen and taken photo in the canyon. I can see why.



Here is Jack very excited as always about the photo opportunity. He always had a great smile and light heart.



If you noticed the Colorado River was green up until this point. This is where the Little Colorado River combines with the big river. From this point on the Colorado was brown. The way it was intended to be.



This is Laura one of the boatpersons.



This is Shinumo Creek.



Here is Jed the trip leader taking a picture of me as I take one of him.






This is Paul the swamper on the trip. The swamper does a little of everything. Driving, cooking, tour guide, etc...



Yes, Laura can sleep any where.



Here is Shinumo creek entering the Colorado. I just thought this was so cool.



This is Elves Chasm.





The trail to the falls was very tricky and a little tough for some of the photographers, so Jed had each guide sit at a tough section so the guests could go back and forth with help. As I was sitting a my post the female Big Horn sheep came walking by. About 10 feet from me.





I don't know if any of you remember but Janice and I went to Deer Creek on our honeymoon and I did not go down into the narrows. Here are some photos after I worked my way down into the narrows section.





One of the many cool things I got to do was swim some rapids. This is me and Dan shortly after jumping out of the boat at Fishtail Rapids. A Class 4.



Once you jumped in the water just took you. It was amazing how fast it pulled you from the boat.





Here is Dan and I after we got back into the boat. Dan had done this before, I had not. But I loved it and did it two more times on the trip. It was great fun.



Another thing that is cool about this series of pictures is that Jack took them. How many people can say they have pictures taken of them by a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer. :) :)

This is where Havasu Creek enters the Colorado river. And yes the water really is that Blue.



The dories can pull right into the canyon mouth.



Trail up the canyon



A little swim.



Just a cool rock.



The water is so blue because of the high amounts a calcium carbonate.

This is a place called Fern Glen Canyon.



Paul, Laura and I waiting for some guests at a tricky part of the trail.



This is me standing next to Lava Falls Rapids. Class 8-10 depending on water flow. One of the scariest rapids in the canyon. There is a cool picture of a motor boat flipping in this rapids. Now you must realize that these motor boats are about 36 feet long and 10 feet wide.



Here is Jed's boat going thru.



This is Diamond Peak. Right around the corner is the take out at Diamond Bar Creek. The elevation of this peak is almost the same elevation we started the boat trip at Lee's Ferry.



I think I did a good job and hope they ask me back.
Now I have to get back into the pace of our society. I start my new job on Monday. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Peace and Love,
Geoff